[ale] Voice Modems

[Christopher Fowler]

On Sun, 2006-10-15 at 20:06 -0400, Brian D. Pitts wrote:
> Hi,
>         I've been asked to set up a computer-based answering machine
> for three phone lines. After a certain number of rings, the computer
> should answer the phone, record any audio to a file, then email that
> file. It looks like vgetty provides the basic capability I need to do
> this (described here http://linuxindia.virtualave.net/lamhowto.html).
> If I want something fancier, VOCP can build on that.
>         My problem is that I need to do this on the cheap; $100 max.
> The computer this will be running on (PowerMac G4, Fedora) has 4
> unused PCI slots. I expect that my best bet is to buy several pci
> cards with serial ports and three external modems. Would anyone pursue
> a hardware strategy?
>         I can find 2-port cards (http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Dual-Two-2-
> Serial-RS232-Ports-PCI-Expansion-
> Card_W0QQitemZ300037861915QQihZ020QQcategoryZ3666QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)
> that claim linux support for $15 on ebay. These are based on a Netmos
> 9820 chip; does anyone have experience with this? I've found
> references (http://lists.infradead.org/pipermail/linux-parport/2005-
> March/000277.html) that suggest it should work with the 8250_pci
> driver.
>         My next question is what modems should I look for? There are
> plenty of new $20 Actiontecs (http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Actiontec-USB-
> Serial-56K-V92-90External-Fax-
> Modem_W0QQitemZ230038411946QQihZ013QQcategoryZ14920QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem), but they don't mention voice capability. Has anyone tried them? Are there any specific brands or models that anyone would recommend I look for used on ebay?

Good luck..

I'm a subscriber on the mgetty/vgetty mailing list and you need decent
hardware to do this right. I would suggest buying _good_ internal PCI
modems.  You'll blow your $100 budget there.  



> 
> Thanks,
> Brian 
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